Cabinet-index.



PATEN'I'ED JAN. 9, 1906. C. H. PAYNE.

CABINET INDEX. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 2z, 1904.

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C. E. PAYNE. CABINET INDEX.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1904.

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UNTTE STATES PATENT FFTCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed Tune 22, 1904. Serial No. 213,717.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES HARRIS PAYNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milligan, in the county of Carter and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cabinet-Indexes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cabinet-indexes; and its object is to provide means whereby reading matter may be so placed within the cabinet as to be readily located when desired, the only requirement being the knowledge of the first letters of the word in order to locate the compartment in which the desired matter is arranged.

Another object is to employ a series of columns, each column being designated by a character which is prominently located upon tne cabinet and said columns being subdivided into compartments provided with designating characters.

A further object of the invention is to provide volumes for a desired number of compartments of the cabinet, said volumes being indexed in a peculiar manner.

Another object is to provide means whereby the volume may be readily returned to its proper compartment subsequent to its removal therefrom.

l/Vith the above and other objects in view the invention consists oi a cabinet having series of parallel columns which are subdivided by parallel shelves extending across the columns, thereby forming a multiplicity of compartments'in each column. A key is located at a prominent point upon the cabinet, said key consisting of a series of characters equal in number to the columns in the cabinet and each character alining with and serving to indicate one column. Each compartment in each column is also designated by one or more characters which are arranged in prominent positions within or adjacent the compartment.

The invention also consists of indexed members adapted to be placed within one or more compartments of each column, said volumes being designated by the characters employed for indicating the compartment in which they are located.

The invention also consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more'fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown the preferred form of my invention.

In said drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the cabinet, some of the compartments being shown designated by letters of the alphabet. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the cabinet and showing the contents of one of the compartments partly removed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the volumes adapted to be placed within a compartment. Fig. 4 is a view showing the alphabetical arrangement oi the words within the volume, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one end of a mQdiiied form of volume in which the compartment-designating characters are shown connected to the volume.

Referring to the figures by numerals ot reference, 1 is a cabinet of any suitable construction and having shelves 2 extending transversely thereof at desired intervals. One of these shelves, preferably one adjacent the center of the cabinet, is provided with a key consisting of characters eachof which alines with a column of compartments formed by alining partitions 3, interposed between the various shelves 2. Secured to each partition is a iiexible tab 4, formed of celluloid or other desired material, and each of these tabs has a character thereon for designating the particular compartment of the column in which it is located.

In the drawings I have shown the cabinet arranged for use as an index for a dictionary, encyclopedia, directory, or other like work in which names or topics are arranged alphabetically. lVith this form of cabinet-index the key herein referred to is formed of the letters of the alphabet arranged in proper order and each letter indicating one of the columns of compartments. Each compartment of the column designated by the character A is adapted to receive one volume of alphabetically-arranged words or topics beginning with the letter A The first compartment of this column, however, contains words the second letters of which are a, b, and 0, respectively. The second compartment contains words or titles the second letters of which are d, e, and f, respectively. This arrangement is followed down the column. The same arrangement is also pursued in connection with the other columns of. the cabinet. It will of course be understood, however, that the com- IOO 'partments may be designated by one or more letters, and I do not restrict myself to the exact arrangement shown and described. For instance, with the letter B no words will be found in the dictionary having m or n for their second letters, and therefore it will be seen that it is not necessary to designate any compartments in column B with these characters. The same condition will be found in the other columns of the cabinet. These comp artment-indicating characters are arranged upon the tabs hereinbefore referred to.

Located in one or more of the compartments of the cabinet are volumes 5, and all the volumes in each column of compartments contain all of the words or titles beginning with the letter designating said column. Each volume of each column contains all the words the second letters of which are similar to those used to designate the compartment in which the volume is located. Where the volume in one compartment has three sets of words, the second letter of every set being different, the volume is divided into three parts and the divisions indicated upon one of the covers, as shownin Fig. 3. In this figure I have shown one volume having therein words beginning with the letters Aq, Ar, and As These arrangements of first and second letters are located on the front cover of the volume to indicate divisions on said cover which are formed by extending lines 6 thereacross. Index-tabs 7, such as ordinarily employed in index-books, extend from the pages of this volume and of all the other volumes as well, and those tabs arranged opposite the Aq division contain the third letters of words beginning with the letters Aq Those letters upon the tabs iocated opposite the division "Ar contain the third letters of words beginning with Ar, and the tabs opposite the division As contain the third letters of words beginning with As For instance, to iind the word Arid the user of the cabinet Erst turns to column A, and the second letter of the word being r he next removes the volume 5 from that compartment indicated by letter It It will be seen that in the cabinet thiscompartment is indicated by three letters Q, R, and S. By withdrawing the volume and placing a finger on tab I opposite division Ar the book can be opened to words beginning with the three letters [Ari, and the word Arid sought can thus be readily found. Other words can be reached equally as well, and it will therefore be seen that a great saving of time is accomplished by using this device, for the reason that when looking for a word in an ordinary indexed dictionary, encyclopedia, directory, or like work it is necessary to hunt through the volume or volumes 'for the rst letter, then the second, and

so on. Vith this device, however, the user of the cabinet can promptly place his hands upon the volume containing only words the first two letters of which are similar to those of the word he desires, and it will therefore be seen that the information sought for can be very quickly obtained.

To facilitate the removal of the volumes, each of them is preferably provided with a tab 8 at its front end, which projects from the compartment in which the volume is located, so as to permit the same to be readily grasped. Moreover, a cord, elastic, or other flexible strip 9 is preferably connected to the inner end of each volume and to the inner end of its compartment, so that subsequent to the removal of the volume the proper compartment for its reception will be accurately indicated. The tabs 4 are so arranged as to normally remain in position across the front ends of their respective compartments, and after they have been drawn outward yor pressed inward they will automatically assume such positions. 'While I have shown each compartment provided with one vof these tabs 4, having designating characters upon it, I can, if desired, secure said tab to the contents of the compartment, as shown in Fig. 5, where the indexed volume 10 is illustrated as having a iiexible tab 111 secured to one of its covers at its outer end.

While I have described this cabinet as an index for alphabetically arrangedI workssuch as dictionaries, encyclopedias, directo- A ries, &c.-it will vrbe understood that the same may also be utilized for filing letters, indexcards, &c.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. The combination with a cabinet having columns of compartments, each column being designated byaletter of the alphabet, and a compartment of each column being designated by a letter of the alphabet forming the second letter of recorde'd words; of volumes within said compartments and in which the words are recorded, said volumes being indexed according to the third letters of 'the words therein.

2. An index comprising a cabinet having columns of compartments therein, the columns being designated by different letters of the alphabet, tabs secured to one wall of each compartment and containing letters of the alphabet designating the second letters of recorded words adapted to be placed within the compartment, and indexed recorded words within each compartment, said words being indexed according to their third letters.

3. An index comprising a cabinet having columns of compartments therein, said columns being designated by different letters of the alphabet, a iiexible tab secured within each compartment, each tab containing let- IOO IIO

ters of the alphabet designating the second and a Yflexible connection between each Vol letters of recorded Words adapted to be Lune and one Wall of its compartment. 1o placed Within sind compartment, a Volume in In testimony whereof I al'lix my signature each compartment having Words recorded in presence of two Witnesses.

5 therein and indexed according to the third CHARLES HARRIS PAYNE.

letters of the Words, a device secured to the Vtnesses: l `front end ol' each Volume and projecting HUGH M. STERLING,

from the cabinet and adapted to be grasped, E. C. BLAOKISTONE. 

